Midwest Living Review

Karen Sorensen

This eatery goes out of its way to offer a unique menu of deli sandwiches and baked goods in a casually comfortable atmosphere that makes you want to linger.

Downtown Bloomington boasts dozens of restaurants catering to lawyers, managers and worker bees, but none of them are as packed at Kelly's Bakery and Cafe. From the outside, with its wrought-iron furniture and abundant flowers, it's reminiscent of a small French cafe. Inside, it's a breakfast, lunch and early-dinner spot quickly serving up innovative fare. You've got to love a menu that serves a turkey sandwich with raspberry jalapeno spread and smoked gouda or and a peanut-butter-and-jelly on Indian bread. Kelly's started out as a cookie-baking enterprise, and that's still one of its claims to fame. Buy one from the dessert case (which also features an array of scones, muffins, brownies and the like) or order a dozen in advance. Servers bring your food to you, and you can linger as long as you like in the comfortable dining room. It can get a little noisy during the lunchtime rush, but it's a nice spot to meet a friend, get lost in a book or catch up on e-mail, courtesy of free Wi-Fi.